


What If?

by KaiderBaiders



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Draco cries a lot, Draco is a good guy!!, Eventual Drarry, Fluff, Friendship, I AM NOT ABANDONING THIS, I just suck at updating, Love, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-10-06 04:15:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10325402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaiderBaiders/pseuds/KaiderBaiders
Summary: AU where Draco Malfoy gets sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there!! so this fic is gonna be all about the fluff, I feel like i would get very distracted writing and changing the plot, so I'll just leave that to your imagination. 
> 
> Happy reading!!

Chapter 1

“You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there,” Draco Malfoy smirked. He would never admit it, his pride got in the way, but Harry Potter was one of his biggest heroes. Getting him to be his friend would be one of Draco’s best accomplishments.

“I think I can decide my friends for myself thanks” Harry said, looking back at Ron, his newly found friend on the train ride to Hogwarts.

Draco was taken aback. No one has ever rejected him. No one. Ever. His eyes went ablaze with anger. Professor McGonagall walked into the corridor before Draco could say anything else. He retreated back to the crowd with one last glare.

McGonagall led all the children into the Great Hall, and the soon-to-be first years looked at the stars in amazement. One of the children, seemingly a know-it-all, said “It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.”

Draco rolled his eyes at her. The girl was rumored to be a mudblood, and Draco sneered at the fact that she might know more than him.

Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll and announced in a sharp, clear voice, “Hermione Granger”

The know-it-all girl from before gave a sharp inhale and a shaky exhale as she walked up to the three-legged stool. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head; it thought for a moment, then shouted “GRYFFINDOR!”

The girl, Hermione, sighed in relief, as cheers rose throughout the Gryffindor table. Draco rolled his eyes, seeing any Gryffindor as practically idiotic and obviously lesser than him.

McGonagall called up some more students, and Draco spaced out through most of them; he honestly didn't care about any one of them. Then, the professor got near the bottom of her list and said, “Draco Malfoy”

He smirked, and swaggered up to the stage with a confident smirk on his face. He sat on the stool with pride and proper posture, just like his mother taught him. McGonagall placed the old, tattered hat on his head, and it began to speak in his mind.

“ _So, a Malfoy, eh? I should put you in Slytherin like your ancestors before; you would accomplish many things there. But alas, I feel you would accomplish more in another, won’t you? How about_ …. GRYFFINDOR!”

The whole hall was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. Then, Harry Potter started clapping, already sorted in the Gryffindor house. That caused everyone else to start clapping, but it was a bit reluctant. Draco stepped off the stool with his head down, tears pooling in his eyes. No, he would not cry, Malfoy men don’t cry. He sat at the edge of the table, away from all the other Gryffindors.

Turns out, Malfoy was the last one to get sorted. Professor Dumbledore stood up and said “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you. Let the feast begin”

Many first years looked around in confusion, but the older students treated it like it was an everyday occasion. Food suddenly showed up everywhere: mashed potatoes, chicken, pork chops, carrots, peas, and many, many other foods. Draco thought that the food looked amazing, but he was in no appetite to gorge himself. He scooped some things on his plate to make it look normal, but he just pushed his food around on it with a fork. Draco looked up at just the right moment, and he caught Harry’s eye, but he looked away quickly. Just then, Harry scooted over and sat in front of Draco. The gesture surprised Draco, but he didn’t comment. The other Gryffindors soon followed suit and scooted over.

_They probably just want to sit next to the chosen one_ Draco thought bitterly.

As he expected, no one tried to make conversation with him. They all respected him enough, or just took pity on him, to leave him alone. He sat there miserably surrounded by other perky people that just wouldn’t shut up.

Soon, but not soon enough, the feast was over, and the first years were given a small tour of the castle, and then shown to the common room and dormitories. Draco couldn’t wait to go to sleep, and pretend that this was all a bad dream. The prefect, another Weasley, Percy maybe?, was showing everyone around.

Percy then stopped, and said “Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boys' dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up.”

The first years chattered excitedly among themselves, but Draco stayed in the back of the group, not wanting to socialize. He soon pushed his way through to the front to get to his dorm quicker. At said dorm, he saw that he was sharing a dorm with Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, and the one and only Harry Potter himself. He sighed as he pushed open the door; luckily for him, he was the first one there. Wanting this horrible nightmare to end, he quickly got into his bed, without changing out of his uniform, and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy reading!!

Chapter 2

Draco woke from a restless sleep; his roommates were still sleeping. Ugh, his roommates, like they were his friends or something. The thought gave him a headache. He went into the bathroom and changed into his uniform for the day. He saw the gold and maroon tie, and he felt sick. This wasn’t right, not the Malfoy way that has been drilled into his head all of his life, yet it felt comforting. Draco felt a sense of warmth flow throughout his body, and he felt confused that he could actually feel happiness in his life that wasn’t in Slytherin. He shook these thoughts out of his head. The Sorting must have been a mistake. He should be in Slytherin, like his family before him, but at the same time, seeing the Gryffindor common room brought him a sense of belonging, a home. Draco hadn’t felt that in a long time, not since the last time his mother hugged him out of love, not just a touch of the face or a look from across the room. His father never showed him any love, in any form; that made him start to think. Did his father ever love him? His mother, yes, Draco could see that his mother loved him, but his father never showed any love towards his only child, his only son. That filled Draco with anger and rage, but he kept his face blank. That was the only thing that his father taught him that was useful now.

Draco walked back into the dormitory, and the other three were just barely waking up. Good, he thought, maybe now I don’t have to talk to any of them. He grabbed his book bag that was already filled with his school supplies, and he walked calmly out the door. He could feel all three of them staring at his back as he walked out.

Draco walked to the Great Hall with his head down, avoiding everyone’s gaze and accusing whispers. He sat at the Gryffindor table with his head down. He grabbed some toast and some pumpkin juice, while reading out of his Potions textbook. He could hear Harry and that Weasley kid walk in. Harry sat near him, not as close as yesterday, but close enough to get the message: I’m Here

Draco was surprised, he wasn’t expecting kind gestures to keep happening. The tips of his ears turned red with embarrassment, and he put his head down in order to avoid further humiliation. Then, the owls came in to deliver the letters to students from family. Draco dreaded what his parents would say. Although the sorting was only yesterday, he had a feeling that his father would find out in a moment’s notice. Just then, a black owl dropped a letter in front of his plate.

Draco looked anxiously at the letter. He could see the neat, crisp handwriting of his father. His father very rarely wrote letters, so Draco could barely recognize the handwriting, but it was definitely written by him. Draco read it with shaky hands.

_Draco,_

  _I have recently obtained information concerning your schooling, the Sorting Hat has placed you in Gryffindor. You have disgraced the Malfoy name. Your mother and I are equally disappointed. You are not welcome back home._

_Sincerely,_

**_Lucius Malfoy_ **

Draco just stared at the letter; he didn't know what to do. He crumpled up the letter in his hand and pushed away his mostly full plate, and stormed away from the Great Hall, with eyes watering. He walked into one of the girls bathrooms that was rumored to be haunted by a ghost, so no one was in there. He looked in the mirror; he was weak, being this close to crying. A single tear rolled down his cheek, and Draco furiously wiped off his face. Suddenly, he saw Harry in the reflection of the mirror. Draco jumped away, and he faced him, but he could not meet Harry’s eyes.

“What do you want?” Draco said rather harshly.

“Why are you crying?” Harry asked tentatively, avoiding the earlier question.

Draco still held the crumpled letter in his hand, tears once again threatening to spill from his eyes. Harry didn't say anything, but he rushed to hug him. Draco dropped the letter on the floor in surprise, and the kind gesture made him feel vulnerable. He put his face in Harry’s shoulder, and started full-on crying. His sobs echoed throughout the abandoned bathroom. The crying slowed and then just turned into hiccups. Draco thought that he was supposed to hate Harry Potter, but in his arms he felt safe, comfort, more than he’s felt in years. This felt normal. Draco was suddenly disgusted at his own thoughts. He wasn't supposed to like Gryffindors, but his heart told him something else. The warm colors of gold and red had a calming effect on him. He would never admit it out loud, but so did the boy that was comforting him right now. Harry felt safe, and warm.

Draco let go of the hug and wiped his face from tears. Harry’s face was filled with concern, as if he really cared, and Draco allowed himself to believe that. That someone cared.

“Thank you,” he said in a really quiet voice, afraid if he spoke any louder he would cry again.

“You’re welcome, Draco,” Harry said, still unsure of the sudden outburst. “What’s wrong?”

Draco took a shaky breath and picked up the letter from off the floor. He said, “It’s my father. I guess he found out that i got sorted into Gryffindor. I am… I’m disowned from my family. I’m not allowed to come back”

Harry’s face fell a little bit, as he read the letter, sympathizing with him. “Well, now you have a new family. In Gryffindor. We’ll protect you”

Draco’s heart soared; someone cares for him, someone really does. Draco smiled, and gave Harry one last hug before they walked out of the bathroom to their first class of the day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry!! i've been extremely busy with finals and all that crap. i'm working on the next chapter and it should be longer, and it will be up within a couple of days. Happy reading!!

Chapter 3

“You know he’s a horrible person, right?”

“You don’t know that, Ron. He’s probably just misunderstood.”

“How do you know that Harry? Have you actually talked to that slimy git?”

“I have actually, Draco’s a nice person, he’s just guarded. Have you talked to him?”

Ron looked down at his lunch, feeling beaten. There should be a reason to hate Malfoy, but Harry has shot him down with every chance he got.

Hermione, who was originally silent during Ron and Harry’s conversation piped up.

“Well, it's worth a try,” she said while picking up an apple, “I mean, Ronald, how would you feel if you got placed in the Slytherin house and gotten rejected by your family?”

“Not very good,” Ron said in a feeble voice.

Harry told them what happened in the abandoned bathroom, minus the crying. And the hugging. And how Harry felt about the whole situation. He wasn’t being very honest with himself when he thought the situation, like when Draco hugged him as if he was his last lifeline, and how comfortable just being that close to Draco was, and how comforting him when he was crying actually made Harry feel brave for once…

Harry realized that he zoned out and that his friends were staring at him, looking for his response.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Hermione sighed a little, “We’re asking what you want to do about it?”

Harry was a little confused about Hermione’s response, but gave an answer nonetheless. “We should be kind to him- Be his friend.”

Ron scowled at that, “But his family has hated mine for years! Do you really think that he’ll just be friends with people all the sudden?”

Harry’s eyes drifted over to Draco. Once again, the blond boy had his head down, barely eating. Harry was worried about him; he hasn’t really eaten at all since, well at all. Harry looked at his friends and said, “I guess we’re about to find out”

Harry slid over to sit next to Draco. Draco just raised an eyebrow at the raven haired boy; Harry took that as a sign of permission to talk.

Harry smiled and said, “Sorry, I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Harry. Harry Potter.”

Harry offered his hand for Draco to shake. Draco eyed it carefully, but eventually shook his hand with his own “Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.”

Ron, who moved over with Harry and Hermione, also extended his hand, and introduced himself “Ron Weasley”

Draco nodded, with a slight smile on his face, and then turned to Hermione. She also extended her hand and said, “I’m Hermione Granger.”

“Pleasure,” Draco said, then fell into a fit of giggles, and his three new friends did too. This is a good start, Draco thought, to a good friendship.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Reading!

Chapter 4

Draco was sitting in his History of Magic class, taught by the dreadfully boring Professor Binns. It had been about a month since Draco got sorted into Gryffindor. Everyone was nice, and Draco felt at home with them. Even with his father disowning him, Draco felt like he had a family with his classmates- well, except for the Slytherins, maybe. Just like his father, most of the Slytherin house was angry that a Malfoy had 'betrayed' them, whatever that meant.

He was on the verge of falling asleep, like many others in his class, when a crumpled up piece of parchment hit his head and landed on his desk. He looked in the area of where the parchment was thrown from, and saw some Slytherins not-so-subtly chuckling. Draco opened the ball and saw _BLOOD TRAITOR_ written in bold writing. He crumpled up the parchment and threw it at the group out of anger; then, he saw that it hit one of the boys: Blaise Zabini. Blaise was one of his close childhood friends; their fathers worked in the same department in the Ministry of Magic, and their mothers were close friends, so the two boys often played together. Blaise looked at him, seething with anger, and just in that moment, he felt betrayal.

“Class dismissed”

Draco turned his attention to the front of the room, where his fellow first years sleepily packed up their parchments and books. He quickly did the same, and walked out of the classroom. Draco walked into the corridor, trying to dodge other students hurrying to their next class.

“Hey, Malfoy!”

Draco turned at the sound of his name, but felt nervous and a sense of rage when he turned to face the boy. Blaise Zabini stalked towards him, anger evident in his eyes.

“Why can't you mind your own business, blood-traitor? Instead of bothering us, you could mind your own business, and crawl into the dirty hole that you belong in”

Zabini’s lackeys were chuckling behind him, and Draco’s ears turned red at the statement, feeling the anger rise in him. He never thought in his life he would be considered a blood-traitor, and the insult stung more than it should have. The boy who masks his emotions was slowly diminishing.

“You’re the one who started it,” Draco said, “At least I don’t resort to name-calling to feel better about myself,”

The other students watching gave a small ‘ _ooh_ ’ at the response. Draco felt smug for a second, but it soon went away with Zabini’s next response.

“You’re such a disgrace, you might as well be a squib.”

Draco could feel even more rage fill him, if that was even possible. He started to storming after them when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He shrugged it off, until he saw who it was. It was Hermione; Draco calmed down quite a bit. She whispered to him _“Don’t listen to them, you’re better than them.”_ He could understand her reasoning. Draco started to walk away from them, with Hermione right behind him, but he heard Zabini talk once again.

“He’s even friends with mudblood!! He’s just raking the Malfoy name through the mud.”

Calling Hermione a mudblood was the last straw. She was a good person, and she was so much more than a cruel name based on something she couldn’t control. Draco charged over to Zabini, and punched him in the face. He was surprised at the sudden contact and fell over. Draco stormed away, and gently grabbed Hermione’s wrist and led her away from the crowd. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and she allowed Draco to drag her away.

Draco saw Harry and Ron in the crowd; Harry tugged on Ron’s robes, and led him over to where Draco was headed. They all met up in an abandoned corridor, and Hermione gave a Draco a hug, and gave him thanks for defending him. He muttered a small _‘you’re welcome’_ and they all walked back the Gryffindor common room, feeling relaxed in each others company.

* * *

Draco awoke to Harry jumping up and down on his bed. He groggily sat up, trying his best to avoid getting stepped on.

“Come on, Draco, it’s christmas! It's Christmas!”

All of the sudden, Draco was ambushed with warm memories. Him and his mother sitting by the fire, with warm cups of hot chocolate. Them decorating the tree with fancy ornaments, and Mother putting on music and them dancing funnily and laughing. Father was never home during the holidays, so Mother was nice and lovely during those times, then, Draco was hit with a wave a sadness; he would not be home for the holidays this years.

Filled with a sense of sorrow, Draco climbs out of his bed. Harry notices this, and he looks at his friend with confusion. “Are you ok, Draco?”

Draco nods his head briefly, and says “Yes, I’m fine,”

Harry eyes him, but accepts the answer nonetheless. He tugs at Draco’s hand and pulls him into the common room. Draco laughs as he’s being tugged across the room. He sees Ron in front of the tree, wearing a sweater.

“Happy Christmas”

“Happy Christmas, Ron”

Draco rolled his eyes, “I don't know who you are, but everyone else says Merry Christmas”

Harry gave him a wary look, but turned his attention back to Ron, “What's that you've got on?”

“It's a present from my mum. Looks like you've both got presents too”

“Really??” They both say in unison.

“Yeah, come on!”

Draco was astounded. He was disowned, which he had accepted not long after he had gotten the letter. He was quite literally frozen in his spot, until Harry tugged on his shirt, and they both ran downstairs.

Draco immediately saw a box that was labeled with his name, and he ripped it open. It was an emerald sweater with a ‘D’ on it.

“You got a sweater too!” Ron exclaimed, “Maroon is definitely not my favorite color, but green looks good on you”

He was very confused, until he saw a small handwritten note on the bottom.

_Hello Draco,_

_I hope that Christmas comes to you in good spirits. Ron told us about your situation, and our home is open to you any time you want. If you need to talk to anyone about anything, we’ll be right here. Merry Christmas._

_The Weasley Family_

Draco smiled. There was hope for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took longer to update than a couple of days, and I have no excuse, I'm just a lazy person, and I'm really sorry. I hope you enjoy!


End file.
